Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1887-02-04
Diseases Among Cattle.

its permanent habitation in Southeru
Russia, whence it found its way into
continental Europe aud thence into
Holland, and to America, where it has
gradually spread until now the whole
Atlantic coast, from Connecticut to
Southern Virginia, is contaminated.
There can pe no doubt that, had the
national government, in whose hands
the exclusive control of. foreign COM
merce is placed, adopted in proper
time, proper quarantine regulations
against such countries as were known
to be infected, the disease would never
have found a lodgment in this country,
and for this reason, there can be no
doubt that the duty to extirpate the
disease is on the national government,
particularly as in some States it has
grown to such dimensions as to be be-
yond the control Of the States. The
disease until recently had been con-
fined to the Atlantic coast, but on
more thaa one occasion it has broken
out in the West In Chicago it has
recently assumed alarming proportions
1t is alleged that the outbreaks West
are due to cattle shipped from Mary
land, whose reputation has assumed
such evil proportions that it is impos
sible to send Maryland cattle into any
State west Of the OHIO river, owing to
quarantine regulations against the
State, while private buyers in other
States will not purchase from Mary
land. There are now over 200 Mary
land stables in quarantine, an | the
disease doubt ess exists in macy more
not yet discovered. The disease, how
ever, is unknown except in Baltimore
city and county and Carroll and Prince
Georges coanties. \ large herd in
Howard county was affected last Au
gust, but it was slaug ghtered and the
trouble wipel out. \ thorough in
specton of the Eastern Shore failed
to find any evidence that the disease
had ever been on the Peninsula, though
many Eastern Shore butchers buy at
the State stock yards, section long
infected. The losses by hog cholera
in Maryland for several years past ex-
ceed half million dollars per annum.
But little CHAMBERS in the horses has
been found in the State, and on this
subject the committee does not think
the government obliged to protect the
citizens from diseases indigenous to
the country.
One of the greatest hindrances to
the effective enforcement Of the la ).
is the habit of concea!ing prac-
ticed by cattle owners and the habit of
selling slrreptitiously to unscrupulous
butchers diseased animals, which was
practiced to great extent in Baltl
more. The appointment of the sani
tary board under the act of 1886 was
referred to, and the report says that
their system Of quarantine, mex pensive
and efficient, has received the commen-
dation of the commissioner Of agricul
ture. This consists Of small pad
lock and chain placed around horas
or neck OF each exposed animal, the
key kept by the board, SO as to prevent
spiriting away Of diseased animals or
substitutions, and making violations
Of quarantine extremely hazardous
Fully 5000 cattle have been locked
for at least ninety days each, and there
has been no violation Of the law. \
recent report Of the commissioner of
agriculture shows that Maryland is
the only State which has lived up to
its agreement with the agricultural
department in its cooperation for the
stamping out Of the disease. Since
August the government has kept sew
en inspectors in Maryland. In this
time there were killed 419 animals at
a cost Of S20.10 a piece. OF these the
government killed 355, at an average
cost of $2246, and the State l24, at an
average cost of $l3.45. There were
566 stables inspected, containing 5,107
cattle, exclusive of inspections at the
stock yards. OF the inspections, III
were found to be infected. The amount
spent by the government in Maryland
since August L was $4,000. The
State has also caused the slaughter ol
two horses affected with glanders. The
report recommends a plan of co-opera.
ton between the National and State
governments, by which the commerce
between the States is left to the con.
troll of the general government, and
the local quarantine measures and the
penalties, the condemning Of private
property for public use aud fixing the
value thereof, are left to the States
BY this plan citizen charged with
violating a law he does not under
stand need not be carried with his
witnesses huudred miles before l
S. Commissioner, but may have a hear
ing before justice Of the peace in his
own county and there tried. The com
mittee fear, however, that the plan is
about to be abandoned, the commits
sioner of agriculture having reported
that it was failure, no State but
Maryland having co-operated with
him. If the disease Of pleuro pneu-
monio once gets a lodgment 10 the un
fenced pastures Of the West it will
never be eradicated, but will destroy
untold wealth and make neat on The
poor mans table thing Of the past
This threatened damage to the mea
supply seems to be appreciated by tht
present Congress, and it is likely t
adopt some heroic measures at The
present session.
Appended to the report was reso
luton instructing the secretary of tht
convention to memorable the Mary
land Senators and Representatives tx
give their earnest support to such bill'
as will in their opinion most efectu
ally rid the country Of al exotic con
tagious diseases.
This is the season when the horses
legs should be we'll looked after. Or
returning from a muddy drive wasf